Immunization

Immunization is one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself, your family, and your community from infectious diseases. IDSA focuses on immunization of children, adolescents, and adults, including health care workers.

CDC, AAP, and AAFP created materials for providers to assess parents' needs, identify the role they want to play in making decisions for their child's health, and communicate in ways that meet their needs.

VAERS is a national vaccine safety surveillance program of the U.S. government. VAERS collects information about adverse events (possible side effects) that occur after the administration of vaccines. The site explains how to report an adverse event.

Immunization Immunization of Infants, Children, Adolescents, and Adults: Clinical Practice Guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America Evidence-based guidelines for immunization of infants, children, adolescents, and adults have been prepared by an Expert Panel of the Infectious Diseases Soci

In the policy arena, IDSA is working to ensure that immunization programs are established, maintained and funded, and that research and development of new vaccines continues. IDSA also seeks to strengthen adult and adolescent immunization coverage and mandate influenza immunization of health care personnel.

The National Vaccine Plan is the U.S. government's roadmap for a 21st century vaccine and immunization enterprise. It includes strategies for advancing vaccine research and development, financing, supply, distribution, safety, global cooperation, and informed decision-making among consumers and health care providers.

Influenza vaccination of health care personnel is a professional and ethical responsibility and non-compliance should not be tolerated, according to a position paper released today by SHEA and endorsed by IDSA. (8/31/2010)

William Schaffner, MD, chair of IDSA’s Immunization Work Group tells Medscape that the U.S. needs a national strategy to immunize adults against infectious diseases that would achieve the same success found in childhood immunization efforts. (2/4/2010)